Team Type 1 ready to defend RAAM

The individuals are already under way, but the teams are starting only on Wednesday in the Race Across America (RAAM). Team Type 1 carries a two-fold mission into this year's Race Across America (RAAM): successfully defend the eight-person corporate team title it has won the past two years and send an inspirational message to people living with Type 1 diabetes.

"In an event such as RAAM, anything and everything will happen," Team Type 1 RAAM Team Director and racer Bob Schrank said. "We have the riders and the crew that are capable of breaking the team record and winning it all. We will need a little bit of help from Mother Nature; however, the hard work that has been done the last few months of training and racing will put us into the position to capitalise on whatever luck we earn.

"We have the millions of people with diabetes all around the world pulling for us every turn of the pedal. Even though this is our third entry in RAAM, our mission is the same – to inspire people with diabetes that, with good management, they can do great things."

Teams begin the 3,015-mile race Wednesday at 14:00 PST, traveling from Oceanside, California, to Annapolis, Maryland.

Team Type 1 is unique to the event because every rider has Type 1 diabetes, a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to properly control blood sugar levels. Its primary sponsors are all affiliated with diabetes care: Apidra (rapid-acting insulin made by sanofi-aventis), the FreeStyle Navigator manufactured by Abbott Diabetes Care, Insulet Corporation's OmniPod Insulin Management System and Dex-4 Glucose.

Current team members include Bob Schrank, Monique Hanley and Andy Mead who were part of Team Type 1's winning squad last year that established the current eight-person corporate team transcontinental record crossing of five days, 15 hours and 43 minutes (3,046 miles).

Team Type 1 was created in 2004 by Type 1 diabetes racers Phil Southerland and Joe Eldridge to inspire people living with diabetes to take a proactive approach to managing their health and overcoming the obstacles often associated with the condition.

Team Type 1's for the RAAM: Alex Bowden, Matt Brooks, Monique Hanley, Timothy Hargrave, Andy Mead, Tim Powell, Bob Schrank and Mark Suprenant.

Find out more about the team.